Russia destroys drones near Syria airbase: report

MOSCOW, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Russian military shot down several drones near an airbase in Hmeymim, Syria, a media report said Sunday.

The air defense system detected a group of unknown small unmanned aerial vehicles in the northeast of the base late Saturday and destroyed all of them, the Sputnik news agency reported, citing a representative of the base.

The airbase is operating normally with no personnel injuries or damage, the report said.

Russia maintains an airbase in Hmeymim and a naval base in Tartus in Syria to support the government forces fighting terrorists.